Apparatus for and method of filling glass batch charger hoppers



y 1954 M. M. CANNON, JR 2,679,324

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF FILLING GLASS BATCH CHARGER HOPPERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1948 INVENTOR MADISON M CANNON JR. BY W Ea/2Z1,

ATTORNEYS y 1954 M. M. CANNON, JR 2,679,324

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF FILLING GLASS BATCH CHARGER HOPPERS Filed Jan. 26, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 3 I F|G.4.V .m

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i i &9 za Z 5 33; .17 i i f" M i ll 5/ 33 M4 T I I 515 f I i I 43; L 46 i g L ATTORNEYS Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED f5 TENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF FILLING GLASS BATCH CHARGER HOPPERS Application January 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,224

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for and methods of supplying glass batch to glass batch charger hoppers,

A glass batch charger hopper is a receptacle which is open at its top and has a discharge opening in its bottom through which glass batch may descend into one or more batch chargers to replace batch fed therefrom into a glass melting tank that is being served by the charger or chargers. The batch charger hopper customarily is supplied with batch from a batch bucket which, after receiving its batch from a batch mixer, has been moved to a discharge position over the hopper. The discharge opening of the batch bucket is in its bottom and its cross section customarily is much smaller than that of the upper part of the hopper. Consequently, batch flow to such a hopper from a batch bucket heretofore has been attended by considerable de-mixing and segregation of relatively fine and coarser particles of the batch, the segregating action being roughly proportional to the lateral distance the batch moves in settling in the hopper. Such segregation tends to impair the quality of the glass melt produced therefrom in a melting tank. If the segregation is sufliciently extensive, the glass produced will not have the desired homogeneity. I

An object of the invention is to prevent the segregation of fine and coarse particles of batch that heretofore normally has occurred when a batch hopper filled by discharge from a batch bucket substantially as above described.

A further object of the invention is to supply glass batch to a batch charger hopper from .a y

batch bucket in such a manner and by such means as to obviate any substantial lateral flow of the batch during or as an incident of its delivery to the hopper, whereby filling of the batch hopper may be effected without sufficient segregation of relatively line and coarse pal ticles of the batch to be significant in the glass melting operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention hereinafter will be pointed out or will become obvious from the following description of a practical embodiment of the invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a batch charger hopper and of a batch bucket carrier and rotator mounted thereon for horizontal movementsabove the hopper;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hopper and of the batch bucket carrier and'rotator mounted thereon, together with a batch bucket in operative position on the rotator, the view showing, in full lines and phantom lines, respectively, the batch bucket, its rotator and carrier at difierent places along their path of movements above the hopper during delivery of batch from the bucket to the hopper;

Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged end view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, looking at the left hand thereof, with portions broken away to reveal parts that otherwise would be hidden, the view also showing moreeor-less diagrammatically a batch charger in operative position beneath the hopper;

Figs 4 is a relatively enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section along the line 494 of Fig. 1, showing one of a plurality of cooperative-elements for limiting lateral shifting movements of the batch bucket rotator on its carrier; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary relatively enlarged Ver tical section substantially along the line .5..5 of Fig. 1, showing details of parts of the structural provisions for supporting the batch bucket rotator for rotation about its axis and for bodily move.- ments on the hopper; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram .of an electric motor for driving the carrier for the batch bucket rotator back and forth on the hopper andlof an electrical circuit and reversing provisions for the motor.

Referring now to the drawings, a batch charger hopper, generally designated H, Figs. 1, 2 ,3, is supported in an upright position, as by sup:- porting means presently described, so that the bottom of the hopper, indicated at I in Fig. .3, is operatively positioned above the open upper end of a batch chamber, 2 in a batch charger, generally designated C. The charger C is opera,- tively positioned in relation to a charging opening 3 in a wall 4 which may be part of .a .wallof a glass melting tank or of a doghouse or other batch receiving extension of the melting tank proper. The charger chamber 2 has a lateral outlet 20. next to its bottom through which batch may pass directly into .the charging opening 3. Movement of batch from the chamber ,2 through the outlet 2a to the charging opening 3 may be regulated by a suitablyoperated movable batch feeding implement C4. 7

The hopper H be rectangular in cross sec! tion and is open at its upper end, designated 5, as best seen in Fig. '1. It comprises apair of side walls H4 and endv walls H-2 fastened or joined together in any suitable known manner, as by welding. The side wallsH-l maybe vertical from their upper edges for most of their height, the extreme lower portions thereof, indicated at 6,

. being Fig. 3, being inwardly inclined or convergent so as substantially to reduce the width of the lower end of the hopper and to provide partial support at the bottom of the hopper for the large mass of batch which in actual practice will fill the hopper from its lower end for at least a substantial part of its height. A bottom discharge opening, designated I-a, having a width substantially less than the opening at the top of the hopper is thus provided for downward flow of batch from the supply body in the hopper into the underneath batch charger chamber 2. The hopper walls may be braced and reenforced at suitable places in any suitable known manner by any suitable known means. In carrying out the present invention, the hopper may be braced internally by transverse vertical partitions H-3, thus providing a series of similar vertical sections or compartments H- l, each extending from the bottom of the hopper for a substantial part of the full height thereof but below the level of the batch in the hopper when the latter is in use and is supplied with batch as hereinafter explained. Each hopper section H-4 thus has its own discharge opening at the bottom of the hopper.

The hopper is supported in the example shown on a pair of stationary, horizontally spaced, parallel beams 1, Fig. 2. These are located outwardly from the opposite ends of the hopper and carry longitudinally adjustable strips 8. Jack screws 9 are threaded through out-turned flanges of edgewise disposed horizontal channels in and rest upon the plates 8, there being one of these channels and two of the jack screws located 1 outwardly from each end of the hopper at about the level of the upper portion thereof. Pro jecting from the webs of the channels toward the adjacent corner portions of the hopper are pairs of edgewise disposed relatively thick and wide supporting bars I I which are rigid with the channels I 0, as by being welded thereto. The pairs of supporting members II are straddled by edgewise disposed attaching plates I2 which project from the opposite ends of the upper part of the hopper H as rigid or integral extensions of upper portions of the hopper side walls. The plates [2 may be fastened rigidly to the supporting members H. as by being welded thereto,

whereby the hopper will be supported on the 5 beams T in a predetermined position. This position may be adjusted vertically within limits by adjustment of the jack screws 9 and may be adjusted laterally by adjusting the supporting strips 8 longitudinally on the heads of the beams I, as

by adjustment of opposed horizontal adjusting screws !3, Fig. 3, these being threaded through fixed supports 14 at opposite ends of each of the supporting strips 8 so as to bear against abutment elements Ma which are fixed on the supporting strip 8 adjacent to its opposite ends. By the supporting structure described, the lower end of the hopper may be positioned properly for discharge of batch into an underneath batch charger or row of batch chargers. While only one batch charger is shown, it will be understood that the batch charger C and its chamber 2, as shown, may in actual practice comprise a plurality of separate chargers and charger chambers.

A batch bucket, designated l5, Fig. 2, may be generally of conventional form and construction and includes a downwardly tapering or frustoconical lower end portion I511 and a bottom l5b, the central portion of which is formed to define a discharge orifice I6. This discharge orifice is open for downward discharge of batch from the batch bucket, as shown in Fig. 2, when a valve or stopper member I! has been lowered from a seated position in the orifice. The member I1 is carried by a vertical stem l8 which extends upwardly through the discharge orifice l6 and the batch bucket to and through a suitable opening 19 in a fixed bale or guide member 20 on the top of the batch bucket 15, the upper end of the stem l8 projecting above the member l9 and being provided with a transverse hole 2! with which a hook of a hoist or the like (not shown) may be engaged to raise the valve or stopper H to its closed position and to keep it raised during movement of the bucket from a place at which it was filled with batch from a batch mixer to a position at which discharge of batch from the bucket is to be efiected.

In the example shown, the discharge position of the batch bucket is over the hopper H and the bottom of the batch bucket rests upon an externally flanged upper end portion 22 of a vertically disposed rotator funnel 23 which depends through a central opening 24 in a horizontally disposed body 25 of a carriage, generally designated 26, the rotator funnel 23 being mounted on the carriage body 25 by means presently to be described so that the smaller discharge end of the funnel, which is formed to define an axial discharge orifice, indicated at 21, is positioned in alignment with the discharge orifice [6 of the batch bucket and in a desirable discharge position in relation to the charger hopper H. The lower discharge end portion of the rotator funnel 23 is well below the plane of the upper edge of the hopper when in the discharge position illustrated in Fig. 2 but might be at a slightly higher or lower level. The rotator funnel is in eifect a downward continuation of the discharge bucket and the funnel discharge opening 21 may be approximately like the discharge orifice IS in the bottom of the batch bucket so far as crosssectional area and configuration are concerned.

- Like the batch bucket, the funnel 23 may be formed so that its side wall is vertical, as indicated at 23a, Figs. 2 and 5, such side wall then being downwardly tapering or frusto-conical, as indicated at 231), for the remainder of its height, down to the extreme lower end portion thereof which defines the discharge opening 21.

The lower end portion of the rotator funnel may be positioned midway between the side walls of the hopper when the funnel and the batch bucket thereon are to be moved bodily only in the direction of length of the hopper H, as in the example shown. This position of the lower end of the funnel is suitable since the diameter or the discharge opening 21 in the lower end of the funnel is not sufliciently less than the transverse dimension of the upper end of the space within the hopper to permit transverse lateral flow of the batch discharging therefrom into the hopper to an extent that would be harmful in the melting of glass from such batch.

In mounting the funnel 23 on the carriage-body 25, the upright, substantially cylindrical portion 23a of the funnel wall may be provided with an external supporting flange 2B resting upon rollers 29 which are provided at intervals around the vertical axis of the funnel, as shown by Fig. 1. Each'of the rollers 29 is mounted, preferably antifrictionally, as indicated at 30, Fig. 5, upon a radially disposed axle or short shaft 3| which is supported by suitable radially spaced fixed aci -ans supporting members 32.. and: 3.3;, respectively-ii on the. carriage'body 2 5.. The supporting flange 28 on. therotator funnelmay be madetfastito the latter in. any suitablelmown. manner. It is showninFig. 5. as. being located directly-beneath the lower edge of a ring i l-which alsofismounted on. the substantially cylindrical. portion. 23a: of the funnel body. and may be made? fast to. the latter in any. suitable known manner, the ring 3.4-carrying an, annular or ring sprocket-3.5; which is fastened thereto by suitable means, asby cap bolts such asthat indicated. at 3.6.. The weight to be carried by the flange28. is, of course, substantialland' this flange. may. be strongly braced or stayed to the funnel body. In. the structure shown, radial'bra-ce members 31 areprovided-on the" top' of the flange. 28 between suchfiangeand the ring 34 at intervals around the axis of the rotator funnel asindicated'by the showing f.Fig 1. The radialbraces 3! terminate at their outer ends short of the periphery of the flange 28"so, asto afford clearance for inwardly-turned'upper end portions 38 of upright-hold on members 39, which. are fixed on the carriage body'25 atintervals around the rotator' funnel so as to" prevent any harmful accidental or unintended upward displacement of the funnel from the'supporting rollers 29.. The flange 28 also'may carry a depending annular. skirt d0 which depends into overlapping relation with an annular ring 4| on the carriage body 25; these twonieinbers serving asa. dust guard or. shield.

Any substantial lateral. displacement. of the rotator funnel andof the bucket carried; thereby may be preventedby angularly spaced stop ele;-- ments, generally designated 42; positioned on. the carriage body 25 at aysuitable. radial distance at theaxis of the funnel. to be, contacted. by the. portion 23a thereof ona slight horizontal move.- ment of the funnel before-the funnel contacts the wall of the opening 25 in the carriage body. The. detailsv of each of the elements 42. may be as. shown in Fig. 4, the contact member thereof. being an antifrictionally mounted, horizontallyv disposed roller we carried on a vertically disposed stem :32?) fixed to. the carriage; body 2-5.;

The carriage body ismounted. on'. traction wheels 53 which. are: adapted to. run upon rails. it on the sides; of the upper portion.of1the hop:-- per H. The rails t l may be upturned legs:- of angle ironsdesignated G5, whiclrmay lee-fastened; as by. welding, to the sides: H-i. of; the hopper: Hf so that the rail forming legs thereof. project above the upper edge of thehcpper; fhese rails may extend beyond the endsofthehopper and-be fastened to the attaching plates i2-sn astoreine force the connection of. the latter. withthe hopper as a whole. The wheels: 33 may have. their; peripheries grooved, as indicated at 53a,. Fig so as to engage with the upper edge portionof: the rails to prevent lateral displacement of the. Wheels from such rails. ASShOWH the wheelst it. are carried, by axlesv #26 which extend transversely of. the carriage body 2.5 near: the opposite ends thereof and are. appropriately sus pended from the latter, as-by joinnal.'boxes;.sucl1 as indicated at M, Fig. 5; the carriageathus-is supported in a stable manner. on the rails 44; As; asafety factor to prevent accidental or unina tended upward displacement ofthe: carriage. from these rails, hold down hooks, such. as indicated at. 48 in Fig. 5, may depend fromthe carriage body 25. and be. provided .withan inturned lower;

end portion dfiaiundcrlyinga portionof; each ofi therailmembers-tat To; move: the carriage: and the-e parts thereon baclcand; forth. on; thehoppenu-chains 51) maybe trained; about. sprockets 51* on transverse. shafts 52; providedponthe hopper supporting structure; one end.- of each of these chains" being: attached adiustably, as by: a. turn buckle" 5-3;v to; the.\fO1'.T-- ward. end of the carriage and; the. other endi of such. chain being: attached; similarly as. at: 54: to. the-rearward end of. the carriage... A motor, indicatedat: 55,. is shown: as. supported. on: bracket; 56: on: one end" of.- the. hopper: and; has: a; driving connectionthrough atconventional speed reduction unit,. indicated? at 51; Fig. 2; and a; sprocket and chain. arrangement; indicated? at 5.8:; withone of the:shafts 52carrying the sprockets 5| at. the adjacent end. of the. structure: The motoritr is of a: reversible type and when operating in one-directionwill move the'carriage and the-parts shown thereon. from the full lin'e position ofFi'g. 2; to and past the dotted-line position ofv the same view: On reversal" of' the motor, the carriage: and the parts thereon will'be returned. tothe. full-line position. To reverse the" carriage: at. each: end of. its path of moue ments, limit switches,-. designated59= and 60, m spectively, are provided. attopposit'e' ends of the supporting structure in positions tobe engaged by actuatorsti and; Etrespectively, on the ;oppo'- site ends-of the carriage; The operation of these partsand of associate electrical circuit form-- ing means, will hereinafter-be: described.

In moving-along the-top ofthe hopper; batch will. descend from the discharge opening" 2 7 of the rotator funnel. into the hoppertofill the latterto the bottom edge of the discharge endof'the; rotator funnel and, in use,- to: keep the hopper filledto: this approximate level; Since the-transversedimension or diameter'of the eiTec'-- tive discharge orifice of'thebatch bucket; which is: thedischarge. opening 21" of the intervening rotatorjfunnel', is only. slightly lessthan the in ternal width-.offthe hopper, the hopper may befilled Without sufiici'ent lateral' fiow of the batch as it. settles therein to produce harmful Segre-- gation. There may be aslightvariation of thebatch level longitudinally of thehopperby reason of; thetraversing movementsof 'the batch-supply means.

Rotation .of' the batch bucket and the hopper funnel-as a unit. is employed" to nullifysuch'seg regationby grain size of the constituents deposited in the=:bucket that-usually exists therein; Such rotation. is effected in the illustrated embodiment ofrtheinvention by-a mechanism com-- prising. amotor 63* driving a small sprocket wheel" 61 through aspeed'reductionunit E5, the small sprocket 64 in turn"- driving a chain tt which-is trained about and drives the relatively large ring sprocket onthe rotator funnel 23'. The-motor 633, the connectedspeed reduction unit 65' and the connected small sprocket 61imay all be supported. as by a bracket 6'! on the carriage body25. The chain 651 may-be kept desirably taut by? a chain tightener comprising a free sprocket 681cm one end of abell crank lever-'69, mounted on a vertical shaft-TB on the carriage body 25, the opposite end of the bell crank lever being connected by a tension coil spring" 'H to a fixed-anchoring post 12 on the-speed reduction unit 65 soas yielding-1y to urge the tightenersprocket 63: against the chain 56 to maintain the latter. desirably taut;

Ito-reverse the carriage: at opposite ends of' its horizontally? reciprocatory movements. alongthe top :of: the: charger: hopper, suitable motor-"op crating electrical mechanism of any suitable known or preferred conventional construction may be provided in conjunction with the limit switches 59 and 60 and the carriage actuators 6| and 52. One such mechanism is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6. One of the limit switches, as the switch 59, is normally open while the other switch, i. e., the switch 60, is normally closed. The switch 59 includes an operating handle or movable switch closing element 590. adapted to be struck by the actuator 6! when the carriage has reached the limit of its horizontal movement to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby to close the switch 59. The normally closed switch 60 likewise has an operating handle or movable switch opening element 60a adapted to be struck and moved by the actuator 62 as the carriage moves to the limit of its movement to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby to open the switch 60. The movable switch closing element 59a of the switch 59 is shown in Fig. 6 as connected by a wire 13 with a wire M which is connected at one end with the movable switch opening element 99a of the normally closed switch 60 and at its opposite end to a lead wire 15 of a three-wire, tri-phase alternating current system. Another lead wire, designated 76, of this alternating current supply system leads directly to the motor 55. The third lead wire, designated 11,

of such system is connected to a movable switch 1 arm 18 of a reversing switch mechanism, generally designated 19, which comprises a second movable switch arm 86 with which the lead wire 15 is connected. The movable switch arm 18 has an oscillatory operating movement between two spaced contacts BI and 82, respectively. Similarly, the switch arm 39 is movable between spaced contacts 63 and M, respectively, into contact with one or the other of them. The contacts 8i and 84, which are the farthest apart of the two sets of switch contacts just mentioned, are operatively connected together by a conductor 95 which is connected by a conductor 86 operatively to the motor 55. The two relatively adjacent contacts 83 and 82 likewise are electrically connected to each other by a wire Bl which is electrically connected by a wire 86 to the motor 55, the wires 36 and 88 together with the directly connected supply wire 16 constituting a conventional three-wire system for supplying tri-phase alternating current to the motor 55. The switch arms 18 and 89 are connected to move in unison by a plunger 89 of a solenoid 96, this plunger being urged. by a tension spring 9| in a direction to move the switch arm 61! against the contact 84 and the switch arm 18 against the contact 82 when the solenoid is de-energized. On energization of the solenoid, the plunger will be retracted against the action of the spring 9| so as to move the switch arm 78 against the contact 8! and the switch arm 89 against the contact 83. When the switch arms 86 and 18 are against the contacts 84 and 82, respectively, the motor will be operated in one direction. When the switch arms 69 and is are in contact with the contacts 83 and 8|, respectively, th motor 55 will be operated so as to drive in the opposite direction. The limit switches 59 and so are included in a combined solenoid energizing and holding circuit. This comprises a wire 92 operatively connecting one side of the solenoid 90 with the lead wire 11; a wire 93 operatively connects theother side of the solenoid with a contact 94 with which the movable element 59a of the normally open switch 59 cooperates. A wire 95 operatively conswitch arm 96 away from the contact 91.

- Fig. 2, the batch level is indicated at I00.

nects the contact 94 with a movable switch arm 96 which is connected to be operated by the solenoid plunger 89 in unison with the movable switch arms 18 and 80. However, the switch arm 96 is a single-throw switch and cooperates only with a single contact, indicated at 91. This contact is operatively connected by a wire 98 with a contact 99 of the normally closed switch 60, the contact 99 being adapted for cooperation with the movable switch arm 60a of such normally closed switch.

The operation of the electrical circuit forming and motor energizing mechanism will be readily understood. Assuming a movement of the carriage and the parts thereon to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and a closing of the normally open switch 59 by the contact of the actuator 6| with the movable element 59a of that switch at the conclusion of the indicated movement of the carriage, it is clear that the solenoid will be energized momentarily by the closing of the switch 59 so as to retract the solenoid plunger 89, thereby moving the switch arm 80 against the contact 83, the switch arm 18 against the contact 8| and the switch arm 96 against the contact 91. This will effect reversal of the motor 55 so as to start the carriage back on a movement to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The switch 59 will open but, since the switch comprising the movable switch arm 96 and the contact 91 has been closed, a solenoid circuit will still be closed and the solenoid plunger will be kept retracted until the carriage reaches the end of its movement to the right. At that time, the solenoid circuit will be broken by the opening of the normally closed switch 60 by the contact of the actuator 62 with the movable switch opening element 60a. Both switches 59 and 60 will then be open and the spring 9| will be effective to move the solenoid plunger 89 outward, thereby causing movement of the switch arm 89 against the contact 84, movement of the switch arm 18 against the contact 82 and movement of the The motor 55 will now be operated to drive the carriage to the left and this operation will continue until the actuator 6| again strikes the switch element 59a and closes this normally open switch.

Batch level in hopper will always rise to bottom of rotating funnel at a point circumscribed by the periphery of the funnel orifice. This high point in the batch level will travel back and forth with the funnel. The level at all other points in the path of travel of the funnel will be governed by the rate of discharge from the charger and the time it takes for the carriage to traverse back to each such point after having once been there. As soon as it gets back =1; the original level will be restored. The carriage speed is such that even at maximum charging rates the batch level at the extreme ends of the hopper will only have fallen about 1 before it is restored by the return of the carriage. In The delivery of batch from the batch bucket to the hopper has been effected without suificient lateral flow of the deposited batch to permit sufficient segregation to impair the quality of the glass made from such batch.

The feature of rotating the batch bucket to nullify parallel segregation that usually exists in the batch bucket is also disclosed and. claimed in my earlier filed, co-pending application, Serial No. 661,759, filed April 12, 1946, now Patent 9 2,593,535, for Method and Apparatus for Handling Glass Batch. No claim is made herein for this feature, per se.

The details of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings and herein particularly described may be varied and modified in various ways which now will be obvious to or will readily occur to those skilled in the art and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to such details.

I claim:

1. In glass batch delivery apparatus, an upright hopper of substantially rectangular configuration at its top, said top being open, a track comprising rails on the sides of the hopper at the top thereof, a carriage mounted for movement on said rails, said carriage having a central opening located directly over the top of the hopper, a funnel rotatably mounted on said carriage so as to depend through said opening of the carriage and having a discharge opening at its lower end positioned above the hopper approximately intermediate the sides thereof, a batch bucket having a discharge orifice at its bottom, said batch bucket resting upon the top of said funnel so as to rotate with the latter, means movable with said carriage to impart rotation to said funnel, and means operatively connected with said carriage to move it back and forth on said rails.

2. A method of filling a batch hopper which is open and of substantially rectangular configuration at its top by discharge from a batch bucket having a discharge orifice slightly smaller in diameter than the minor horizontal dimension of the hopper and many times smaller than the major horizontal dimension of the hopper, which comprises positioning said batch bucket over the hopper with its discharge orifice in operative discharge position in relation to the hopper, moving said batch bucket horizontally back and forth above the hopper in the direction of said major axis of the hopper while maintaining the orifice of the batch bucket continuously in an operative discharge position in relation to said hopper, and rotating said batch bucket about the axis of its discharge orifice concurrently with said horizontal movements of the batch bucket above the hopper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 522,705 Chandler July 10, 1894 910,233 Roberts Jan. 19, 1909 1,824,483 Hubmann et a1. Sept. 22, 1931 1,864,711 Buettell June 28, 1932 2,219,226 Gerber Oct. 22, 1940 2,238,200 Willeke Apr. 15, 1941 2,306,510 Trickey Dec. 29, 1942 2,420,653 Clark May 20, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 648,204 Germany July 24, 1937 

